CABLE RATE HIKE ANNOUNCED BY 2 AREA SERVERS.

Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer

Cable television rates will jump in January for two clusters of San Fernando Valley customers, representing the tail end of increases that followed the passage of the telecommunications act this year.

Chatsworth-based CVI has notified customers of a 10.2 percent hike in basic monthly service to $30.37 from $27.57. The company will add The History Channel and MSNBC and replace superstation WWOR with WGN.

``Over the past year, the cost of providing cable television service to our customers has increased,'' according to a CVI statement.

Falcon Cable will raise the basic rate for its Topanga and Malibu customers 11.9 percent to $29.75 from $26.59 next month. Falcon recently boosted the monthly charge from $25.16 to $29.64 in the Woodland Hills area.

TCI of the San Fernando Valley increased its basic rate to $26.23 in June and plans to keep it at that level at least through the spring, a spokesman said.

The hikes are part of a nationwide trend since the landmark legislation was enacted in February. Cable rates increased by nearly 8 percent during the 12 months through October while the consumer price index grew 3 percent in the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

About 64.7 million homes receive cable service nationwide, reflecting a growth rate of under 3 percent, according to Cable World magazine. Rate increases and growth in rival satellite broadcasting services have hampered cable's ability to boost its subscriber base, analysts have said.